A recent study by UC Berkeley professor of law and public policy Robert MacCoun examines drug use in the Netherlands following semi-legalization in 1976 of small amounts of cannabis possession and the implementation of a coffee shop system of cannabis distribution.
Most noticeable in the study’s results is its conclusions regarding the “gateway association” — or the theory that widespread marijuana legalization would inevitably lead to use of harder drugs like cocaine and amphetamines. Though the study states that the data is not yet conclusive, it suggests that despite widened legal availability of cannabis, there is not necessarily increased usage of harder drugs.
According to the study, Dutch youth have higher rates of cannabis use and start at a slightly earlier age in comparison to other European countries. However, despite wider legal availability of cannabis, Dutch citizens “do not appear to be particularly likely to escalate their use relative to their counterparts in Europe and the United States.”
This research holds particular relevance to the residents of the city of Berkeley as the city moves forward implementing Measure T, which allows for the expansion of medical marijuana dispensaries in the city from three to four and the construction of six cultivation sites. Berkeley has already implemented Measure S, which imposed a tax on medical marijuana sales.
However, there have been troubles in putting the measures into action.
“I’d like to see Berkeley move ahead with licensing schemes that the people of Berkeley voted for and hopefully expand that licensing scheme,” said former Medical Cannabis Commission member Kris Hermes. spokesperson for Americans for Safe Access.
Berkeley City Councilmember Jesse Arreguin attributed the delays to a more hands on prosecution policy on medical marijuana cultivation from the federal government. He also expressed concern for drug use among youths and called for a differentiation of “medical marijuana, which is a medicine under state and city law, which patients are able to use as a treatment, versus the recreational uses of marijuana.”
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When you’ve got marijuana dispensaries advertising home-delivery services on the radio, when you have the (former and right-wing, no less) governor inhaling on film, when you have penalties ranked at the level of parking citations…
Dude, you pretty much have legalized marijuana *now* and *have* had for the last 5+ years. So, like, where’s the ruination of society? Where’s the “careful with that ax, Eugene” crime spree? Nope. Haven’t seen it and we *won’t* see it.
In fact, the only dislocation to society from the drug is produced from its technical illegality and the hundreds of millions of dollars that law enforcement spends on policing something that just about everyone…from the former governor to Sarah Palin to likely the cops themselves…have (likely) continued to use. Copiously.
Since cannabis kills cancer cells and treats a multitude of conditions, doesn’t all use become medicinal? This term ‘ recreational’ use was coined by the prohibitionists, and is complete bullshit. It implies that that is the only reason for consuming the herb.
Alcohol is more deadly and more addictive than marijuana.
Tobacco is more deadly and more addictive than marijuana.
As long as both of those products are legal for adults to enjoy, it doesn’t make sense for marijuana to be illegal.
Parents across America have to decide if they want drug dealers selling marijuana to kids or supermarkets selling marijuana to adults. Forty years of federal marijuana prohibition has taught us that “nobody selling marijuana to nobody” is NEVER going to happen!
We need to give our supermarkets the right to sell legally-grown marijuana to adults at a price low enough to prevent illegal competition. Our children deserve better than prohibition!
In a legal-marijuana world, there would be no need to be concerned about differentiating between medical use and recreational use for adults. If a writer or musician wants to smoke to get a creative buzz on, fine. If a person with muscle spasticity issues wants to smoke to relieve tension and spasms, fine. This is why there is no such thing in the world as “medical marijuana.” There is only marijuana for multiple uses.
Barry Lyons, author, Letter to a Prohibitionist
[However, despite wider legal availability of cannabis, Dutch citizens
“do not appear to be particularly likely to escalate their use relative
to their counterparts in Europe and the United States.”]
Most likely because they have seen the boorish behavior of the typical “doper tourist”, an American “college student” on a “European vacation” where they spend 90% of their time hanging around the Bulldog or some other brown cafe in A’dam. I have encountered plenty of these clowns, many of them having spent an entire summer doing not much else that getting either drunk or stoned. Most of them couldn’t tell you where the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, or Anne Frank house was, or could they be bothered to even learn even the most basic greetings in the Dutch language, but they could tell you the location and quality of herb of every brown cafe in the Walletje, as well as which windows had the girls with the biggest hooters…
And the wine connoisseurs could tell you which restaurants had the best wine and describe in detail the subtle differences between them. What exactly is the difference between them and the cannabis aficionados? Nothing.
[And the wine connoisseurs could tell you which restaurants had the best
wine and describe in detail the subtle differences between them. What
exactly is the difference between them and the cannabis aficionados?
Nothing.]
I beg to differ, having seen both in actual. The wine connoisseurs at worst are stuffy and pretentious. OTOH, dopers emulate giggling little schoolgirls when under the influence, and clearly show signs of mental dullness.
I think you missed Jillian’s larger point, which was to simply point out the way legal marijuana would be sold (because, like wine, cannabis comes in a variety of strains and strengths and that aficionados of both have their favorites).
Mental dullness? In a world where we can point to countless successful people who are long-term cannabis users (Willie Nelson, Bill Maher, Richard Branson, et al), I don’t know why this this idea of mentally dull pot smokers still gets traction.
Just off of the top of my head, Lennon, McCartney, Carl Sagan. Oh yeah, some real mental miggets.
What’s a “migget”?
Or is that your way of saying “Dave’s not here, man.”
LOL!!!
Perhaps because Willie Nelson and Bill Maher aren’t exactly the best examples of people firing on all cylinders, you may wish to reconsider that last example…
People act different when under the influence of any drug.
It’s not like inebriated folks spilling out of bars at the end of the night are the sharpest tools in the shed either.
Never said they were. JFC, people, I merely commented on the behavior of the collegiate brand of “Ugly American” as I have witness personally in the Netherlands and everyone has their panties in a knot. Wassamatta, did I hit a nerve or what?
Nope. The issue is simply that you are clearly applying a level of criticism to marijuana that you are not applying to legal drugs. It’s unfair and illogical.
I don’t care who’s stumbling out of bar or who is zonked out from hitting the bowl: no adult should ever go to jail simply because he ingested plant matter (or has unused plant matter on his person). Let’s sell marijuana as if it were wine and be done with this stupid war already.
Tony M, how do YOU profit from Cannabis Prohibition? Prison guard? Bail Bondsman? Night janitor at the DEA? I know….you’re the guy that holds the jar we have to pee in.
[Tony M, how do YOU profit from Cannabis Prohibition? Prison guard? Bail Bondsman? Night janitor at the DEA?]
None of the above, and in reality I’m not opposed to decriminalization. However, I have been around long enough to see the effects of chronic cannabis use, and know it’s nothing I would want to touch myself.
Don’t pay any attention to the sock puppet for the DEA (Drug EMPLOYMENT Administration). These clowns are spreading their reefer madness BS just as much as ever. Seems that they can’t understand that cannabis users can see through their lies.
Tony M, it’s you and your kind that have become quite ‘boorish’.
Ooh, because I don’t toe the PC party line, I must be some type of government agent, right?
You need to lay off the chronic and Google “cannabis psychosis” – it describes you to a T.
And your point, dumbass, is??
Would you send me a Travel brochure?